The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. held the first-ever “Run with K-Food” promotional booth at the world-renowned Jungfrau Marathon in Switzerland last week.
Now in its 33rd year, the Jungfrau Marathon is considered one of the premier mountain marathons globally, with runners traversing the Swiss Alps against the dramatic backdrop of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau peaks.
At the booth, aT highlighted a range of K-food products aligned with Europe’s growing “Healthy Pleasure” trend, which emphasizes wellness and convenience.
Offerings included pickles, plant-based alternatives, low-sugar items, and ready-to-eat meals.
Local visitors responded enthusiastically to tasting programs featuring kimchi, tofu snacks, konjac jelly, and red ginseng drinks — products designed to be enjoyed before or after sports activities.
Promotional efforts extended beyond the booth. K-food samples were distributed to 4,200 marathon participants and 1,600 volunteers, ensuring athletes and staff could refuel with Korean snacks during the event.
An AI-powered “Alps-Korea” photo zone encouraged visitors to share images of K-food against the Alpine scenery on social media, amplifying the campaign’s reach online.
According to the aT press release, one visitor praised the variety of healthy Korean options, “I didn’t realize there was such a wide variety of Korean fermented foods and low-calorie snacks. It was great to enjoy them without guilt before and after running, and my interest in Korean food has grown even more.”
Exports to Europe of Korean agricultural, forestry, livestock and food products reached $812.1 million in 2025. As of August this year, cumulative exports totaled $650.6 million— a 15.3 percent increase year-on-year.
Jeon Gi-chan, director of export foods at aT, emphasized Europe’s potential as a market.
“Europe is a market with great growth potential for K-food, as consumption patterns prioritizing health and functionality — such as fermented, plant-based, and low-calorie foods — are becoming widespread," He said. "Taking this Jungfrau Marathon as an opportunity, we will continue on-site marketing efforts to ensure K-food naturally becomes part of European consumers’ daily lives and healthy lifestyles.”
shinyb@heraldcorp.com
